• Name: Montagu, Basil
• Gender: Male
• Birth Date: 24  April  1770
• Death Date: 27  November  1851
• Occupation: author
• Occupation: legal reformer

See DNB.

Basil Montague was one of Godwin's earliest 'pupils' - abandoning his law training (temporarily) after reading Political Justice, and taking up residence close to Godwin. At the height of their friendship they travelled to the Midlands together in June 1797.

'Montagu' and 'B Montagu' have been coded as referring to the same person. 'B M' has also been included but further clarity is required. In 1796 Godwin notes 'Sidney Montague for India, 1788—refuses 5 guineas of B M' which supports this identification; however, other entries, such as 3 Aug 1810 'Call on Ellis, B M m [m in s'script], and B Montagu' raise some doubt - although Godwin's custom when he abbreviates and uses just two letters, is to use the first and last letter of the surname. (This may also be an entry to Montagu's wife - although the DNB is less than clear on to whom he would have been married - suggesting that he both married and buried his first wife in 1806 and had three sons by her!

The first abbreviation to B M is very convincing: 'tea Montagu's: sup at Tobin's , w. Leader, White, Scott, Matthews, B M and J St; adv. Tucket ' (21.4.1796), ie. G abbreviates because he has already written the name out once in full. The next (24.6.1799) seems to have been abbreviated to save space - it comes at the end of the line. The next is in a string of abbreviations ('L Ht and BM and TT'); the next is the 3 August 1810 referred to above - which is not coded as Montagu; the next is for reasons of space and then, from 1.6.1811, he uses the abbreviation with much greater regularity.

On 5 November 1814 Montagu's name appears to be given in three different forms, gives further support to the idea that BM does refer to Montagu: 'Write to B Montagu. C C from B M, Curtis and Fourdrinier: B Mo. and T Hookham call.' Given that Mo would be an unusual abbreviation for Godwin we have not coded this entry at Montague, but we have accepted the other two.

All BM entries in the ms have been coded as MON01, but those with an additional letter have been excluded. The entry for Montague on 4 November 1807 is not coded as the spelling is different and it comes close to and between two entries specifying a surveyor of the same name. In the 1796 lists, Godwin records 'B Montagu' under 1795. It is not out of the question for him to make a mistake on these lists, but on the basis that he is usually accurate, the spelling of the name, and the lack of subsequent intense contact, the one entry for 6 December 1794, 'Thelwal's trial: see mrs Knowles & Montague' has not been coded as Basil Montagu.

In MS. Abinger c. 22 fol. 111: 28.6.1799 there is a copy of a letter to someone whom he (Godwin) has heard from Fanny Holcroft is taking holy orders and writing a pamphlet against Political Justice – saying that he would feel this as a betrayal. St Clair identifies this (206) as a letter to Basil Montague – but if MS. Abinger c. 22 fols.113-16: July 1799 is the follow up then this looks less likely.

• Abinger Papers
• DNB
• William St Clair, The Godwins and the Shelleys

This table lists the people this person is most frequently noted with in the diary.